About 200 ministers and supporters Thursday called on state officials to uphold the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman after a recent circuit court ruling that struck down Arkansas' ban on same-sex marriages.
The pastors, organized by the Ecumenical Coalition of Faith Leaders of Arkansas, prayed, read Scripture and spoke in favor of marriage as it is presented in some parts of the Bible during a news conference at the Capitol.
Derick Easter, a pastor at New Saint Hurricane Missionary Baptist Church in Pine Bluff, read from a statement that the group of ecumenical leaders were there to "stand against the lifting of the ban on same-sex marriage and call for the definition of marriage between a man and woman to be reissued."
"We believe that term 'marriage' has only one meaning and that is marriage sanctioned by God which joins one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. Changes in the civil law do not, indeed cannot, change the moral law that God has established," Easter said.
The Arkansas Supreme Court last week suspended a lower court order that found the state's constitutional and statutory bans on same-sex marriages were discriminatory and unconstitutional. The high court issued the stay pending an appeal.
Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza issued the ruling May 9, and same-sex couples in a handful of counties in the state were able to marry before the stay. About 600 couples were married in six days.
The group of faith leaders Thursday was joined by state Sen. Jason Rapert, R-Bigelow, who has spoken out against Piazza's ruling and sponsored a resolution asking the court to uphold the ban on same-sex marriages. The resolution also states the judge abused his authority and that the Arkansas Legislative Council "shall explore legislative remedies to prevent the Arkansas Constitution and the will of the people of this state from being negated by judicial activism."
Rapert has said he plans to present the resolution at the next Legislative Council meeting after its introduction was blocked in a procedural move last week.
Easter said the group of ministers did not condone "hostility" toward homosexuals and that church members have an obligation to show "love, kindness and humanity toward all people."
"Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of the church," Easter said.
Bishop Frank Anderson, a pastor at the Zion Temple Church of God in Christ in Conway, said he thought there was a good turnout of ministers from around the state for the news conference. He said he heard about the event in an email and decided to drive to Little Rock.
"I felt it was incumbent upon me to be here," Anderson said.
After the news conference, Daryl Dandredge, a pastor at New Creation Baptist Church in North Little Rock, spoke with a handful of protesters who had stood on the side and yelled at the ministers. Dandredge asked a reporter to refer to the group's statement when asked for comment, but said he felt an obligation to attend because of his faith.
Alyssa Martinez, one of the protesters speaking with Dandredge, said same-sex couples should be able to marry and be afforded the same rights and benefits as opposite-sex couples. She said she supports the ability for different groups to share their views and would work to defend other people's civil rights.
"It's a shame that it's not the same way for [gays]," Martinez said.
Metro on 05/23/2014